Fluid power tool

ABSTRACT

An air-powered tool having a pistol shape and an air hose inlet located on its body opposite the handle. The inlet is located where the tool will normally hang with its body axis located horizontally and its handle depending when the tool is attached to a vertically suspended air hose.

United States Patent Allen Feb. 22, 1972 [s41 FLUID POWER TOOL 688,252 12/1901 Keller ..173/169 1,594,964 8/ 1926 .limerson. [72] lnventor. Edward L. Allen, Athens, la. 1,999,369 4/1935 N or n gm 3 Assignee; mgersqmRand Company, New York, 2,632,424 3/ 1953 Slomer 1 73/169 X [22] Flled: 1970 Primary Examiner-David H. Brown [21] Appl. No.: 76,569 Attorney-Frank S. Troidl and David W. Tihbott [52] US. Cl ..173/170, 173/163 ABSTRACT [5 l 1 Int. Cl i ..B23b 45/04 An aippowered tool having a Pistol Shape and an air hose inlet [58] Field of Search ..l73/ 169-170, 168, heated on its body opposite the handle The inlet is located 173/163, 171 where the tool will normally hang with its body axis located horizontally 'and its handle depending when the tool is at- [56] References Cited tached to a vertically suspended air hose.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 634,071 10/1899 Smith ..l73/l69 X PAIENIEUFB22 m2 INVENTOR EDWARD L. ALLEN BM WW ATTORNEY FLUID POWER TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common in shops and industrial plants having overhead air supply systems to see piston-shaped power tools such as impact wrenches hanging from vertically suspended air lines. The conventional impact wrench or air drill having a pistol shape has its air inlet at the outer end of its handle which causes the tool to hang upside down and an operator must turn it over before grasping it for operation in a normal position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide a tool which overcomes or substantially minimizes the foregoing problem.

Another object is to provide a novel pistol-shaped power tool adapted to be used with overhead fluid supply systems.

The foregoing objects are generally attained in a tool having a pistol shape including a body having an axis adapted to be positioned horizontally and a handle depending generally from one end. A fluid supply hose inlet is provided on the body opposite the handle and arranged so that when connected to a vertically suspended fluid supply hose, the tool will hang normally with its body axis extending horizontally and its handle projecting downwardly in a natural position for grasping by an operators hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is described in connection with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with portions cut away and shown in section of an impact wrench embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The tool shown in FIG. 1 is an impact wrench 1 having a casing 2 including a main body 3 shown with its axis extending horizontally and a handle 4 depending from the body 3 like a pistol. The wrench I can be considered as having the general shape of a pistol. The body 3 contains a fluid powered motor 5 driving a spindle 6 adapted to fit into a wrench socket for driving a nut or bolt.

The motor 5 is conventional and includes a rotor 7 rotating in a stationary cylinder 8. The handle 4 is hollow, containing an exhaust passage 9 extending to an exhaust port 10 located at the end of the handle 4. Aconventional throttle trigger 12 is mounted at the upper end of the handle 4 and a lever 14 for a reverse valve 13 is located at the rear end of the body 3.

This invention involves the location of a fluid inlet fitting 15 located at the top of the body 3 on the opposite side of the body 3 from the handle 4 and with ,the axis of the fitting 15 extending upwardly at right angles to the axis of the body 3, The axisof the body 3 corresponds generally to the axis of the spindle 6. The fitting 15 is connected to the reverse valve 13 by a passage 17 extending around the motor cylinder 8 as shown in FIG. 2.

The inlet fitting I5 is located on the body 3 so that when connected to and hanging from a suspended fluid supply hose 16, such as an air hose, the wrench 1 will naturally hang by gravity in the position of FIG. I with the axis of the body 3 located horizontally and the handle 4 depending downwardly in a position where it can be readily grasped by an operator.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention is specifically described and illustrated, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but contemplates all the embodiments and variations covered by the following claims.

I claim: 1. A fluid-powered tool adapted to be held in the hand comrism p a c sing including a body portion adapted to be positioned with its axis extending generally horizontally and a pistolshaped handle projecting downwardly from said body portion; and

a fluid supply hose inlet provided on said body arranged with its axis extending vertically upward and at generally right angles to said body axis.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

said handle contains an exhaust passageway for exhausting fluid from said tool and having an outlet at the lower end of said handle.

3. The tool of claim 1 wherein:

said inlet is positioned on said casing where the tool will be positioned by gravity with said body axis extending substantially horizontally and said handle extending downwardly when hanging from a fluid supply hose attached to said inlet.

4. A fluid-powered tool comprising:

a casing including a body containing a fluid motor and a working implement projecting forwardly from its front end;

a pistollike handle projecting from one side of said body and cooperating with said body to provide the tool with a shape similar to a pistol; and

a fluid supply inlet located on the side of said body diametrically opposite to said handle and adapted to be connected to a fluid supply hose extending at substantially right angles to said body. 

1. A fluid-powered tool adapted to be held in the hand comprising: a casing including a body portion adapted to be positioned with its axis extending generally horizontally and a pistol-shaped handle projecting downwardly from said body portion; and a fluid supply hose inlet provided on said body arranged with its axis extending vertically upward and at generally right angles to said body axis.
 2. The tool of claim 1 wherein: said handle contains an exhaust passageway for exhausting fluid from said tool and having an outlet at the lower end of said handle.
 3. The tool of claim 1 wherein: said inlet is positioned on said casing where the tool will be positioned by gravity with said body axis extending substantially horizontally and said handle extending downwardly when hanging from a fluid supply hose attached to said inlet.
 4. A fluid-powered tool comprising: a casing including a body containing a fluid motor and a working implement projecting forwardly from its front end; a pistollike handle projecting from one side of said body and cooperating with said body to provide the tool with a shape similar to a pistol; and a fluid supply inlet located on the side of said body diametrically opposite to said handle and adapted to be connected to a fluid supply hose extending at substantially right angles to said body. 